Stipa

(Gramineae/Poaceae).Pheasant grass, feather/needle/spear grass. Genus of about 300 species of bristly deciduous or evergreen, tuft-forming perennial grass from open woodland and stony slopes in temperate and warm temperate regions worldwide. They have linear, pleated, inrolled occasionally flat leaves and bear narrow panicles of flattened spikelets often with long, feathery or bristly awns from early summer to autumn. Oat-like panicles, rose tinted at first, maturing to pale fawn, the texture diaphanous. Feathery and slender and may be dried. Leaves are streaked orange and brown. Clump forming, best as solo feature. Cut back deciduous species in early winter, remove dead leaves on evergreens in early spring. Moderately fertile, medium to light soil in full sun best.